


Grub Fic AU Part 1

by RainbowPixieCat



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Eggpreg, M/M, Morning Sickness, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, puking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 04:37:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9162334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowPixieCat/pseuds/RainbowPixieCat
Summary: One day Kankri and Cronus are at home when Kankri unexpectedly starts getting sick. Neither of the trolls would suspect the reason behind it! Just a cute story set in my AU where all the trolls and humans live on a new planet after winning the game.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I try to keep the characters as IC as possible but please forgive me if there is OOCness. I apologise.

On a spring morning in April on their new planet, Kankri Vantas was out in the back garden, hanging out the washing on the rotary drying structure (otherwise known as a clothesline). He was busy doing the household chores, having been up for several hours already. He sighed contentedly at the scent of flowers and fresh air surrounding him, along with the trills and calls of birds and animals.

Mornings were such a peaceful time of day in their hive. He smiled as the rays of pale sunlight gently warmed his body, nothing like the sun on Beforus.

Today, Kankri was dressed in a pair of cute denim shorts and a white blouse threaded with a thin red ribbon that was tied in a bow. He looked up at the sky, scrutinising the weather. There were furls of cloud scudding about, gathering into fluffy grey flocks, like oversized woolbeasts. It looked like maybe it would rain later in the day. Still, there should be enough time to get this last load of washing dry. So he hoped.

After he finished pegging the sheets out, he thought he might go and have a little lie down. He was okay, it was just that he’d been feeling queasy and tired on and off for the last four days and he was starting to feel a bit off again. He wasn’t sure if he was coming down with something, or whether it was just stress from working too hard. He bent down to pick up another sheet and threw it over the line, arranging it neatly over the cable that ran around the outer part of the structure. He was doing a good job of ignoring the slight sickness in his belly until the wind blew the scent of the washing powder they used right up his nose. It was artificial floral, with a hint of chemical. Without warning, Kankri’s stomach lurched violently and his head swam. He clapped one hand over his mouth and the other over his stomach but it didn’t help. A strong gag had him pitching forward, expelling his breakfast in a crimson tinged splash all over the clean sheet. Feeling weak and dizzy, he fell to his knees and puked up another thick stream onto the grass, startled and somewhat bewildered.

Cronus was also up and about that morning, it being around ten thirty or so. He was on his week off from the band he played in, so he was at home, chilling out and enjoying spending time with his matesprit. He was heading to the kitchen to get breakfast when he saw movement through the glass sliding doors that led out to the back yard. Cronus watched Kankri puke on a sheet then fall to his knees beneath the clothesline and continue to throw up. Forgetting his late breakfast plans, Cronus hurried out the sliding door and down the path outside, crouching next to his sick matesprit. He grabbed hold of Kankri to steady him and started rubbing his back as he threw up some more. “Kankri, are you okay? Vwhat’s vwrong?” Cronus asked, fins fluttering, all concern and worry. He knew Kankri hadn’t been feeling that great the past few days. 

Kankri coughed, spat and sat up a bit, looking dazed and wobbly. “I…I don’t know. I was feeling a little sick and then the wind blew and…uugh” He groaned and leaned into Cronus, feeling weak and tired, one hand rubbing over his stomach. His gaze shifted to the sheet, which was waving in the wind as though flaunting its new splash of colour. “Oh no! The washing! How am I going to get the stain out?” he lamented. “And I just finished soaking them to get the other marks out” 

“Hey, don’t vworry about it. Vwe can just vwash it again. It’s not like they stopped making vwashing powvder” Cronus consoled. “Just leavwe it to me. You’re not feeling vwell and you need to rest. I’ll take care of the housevwork today, okay?” He pulled Kankri to his feet, putting an arm around him and helping him walk back towards the house. “Come on, let’s get you lying dowvn, cherry pie”

Kankri frowned, trying not to lean too heavily on Cronus as they walked, although he knew the violet-blood could easily take all his weight. He appreciated Cronus’ efforts to reassure him but he had his own doubts and fears concerning the housework. “But, do you even know how to use the washing machine?” He swallowed hard and coughed a little, fighting back another wave of sickness. “You have to turn the cold water on first, then add one scoop of powder and make sure to put it on the right setting - ”

“Kanny, Kanny, don’t vworry! I knowv howv to use a vwashing machine. I’vwe seen you use it plenty of times. I promise, I vwon’t screwv it up. I can havwe it all taken care of vwhile you havwe a little cat nap; trust me”

Kankri was shaking harder as he stumbled through the back door into the kitchen. He started feeling hot and sweaty and his head was spinning. “C-Cronus I don’t know. M-maybe we sh-should j-uuu” An unexpected heave of his stomach caught him off guard and he doubled over, vomiting a reddish splatter onto the white tiles. He leaned heavily against the arms that held him up and brought up another torrent, the sound of a loud, wet splash smacking down. 

“Vwoah, geez!” Cronus exclaimed, managing not to drop his matesprit as he turned into a vomit fountain. “That came outta nowvhere”. He held him steady until he seemed to be finished, leaving quite an impressive puddle on their kitchen floor. “You all done, chief?” Cronus asked gently, smoothing back some of Kankri’s hair.

Kankri spat into the puddle and then nodded shakily, clutching onto Cronus to keep himself upright. “Mm…think so”

Cronus leaned down and slid his arm under Kankri’s knees, lifting him into his arms. “Okay, vwhere to? You vwanna lie on the bed or the couch?” he asked kindly, waiting for Kankri to answer.

Kankri’s eyes were half lidded and he looked exhausted and pale. “Couch” he mumbled, slumping weakly against Cronus. “I’m sorry. I’ve made a big mess. I’ll clean it up, soon as I feel less dizzy…”

Cronus carried him into the living room and laid Kankri on the sofa, making sure there was a cushion behind him and that he was comfy before raising his hand and pressing it to Kankri’s forehead. “You’re feeling dizzy, huh? Vwell…you don’t seem to havwe a fevwer…” Cronus assessed, sighing. “Maybe it’s just a bug or something” he said, sounding worried. He slid cool palms up under Kankri’s chin to feel whether his lymph nodes were swollen but they seemed to be fine too. “Hmm…guess I’ll just havwe to keep an eye on you. And don’t vworry about the mess in the kitchen. Leavwe that to me. I knowv how to clean, Kan. It’s not like I’m not used to livwing on my owvn” Cronus chuckled. He was alone a lot before he met Kankri. “You don’t need to vworry so much. It’s bad for your health. Heck, that’s probably vwhat landed you in this mess in the first place”.

Kankri whined and wrapped both arms around his belly, looking pathetically up at his mate. “Th-thank you, Cronus. I’m sorry about all this. You should probably get away from me as much as you can. If it is a bug, I, I don’t want you to catch it” he said, concern and worry clear in his tone.

Cronus simply smiled and shrugged. “Eh, I’m not vworried. It’s probably one a’ those 24 hour things. It’ll go avway vwhen it’s ready. I’vwe got plenty of time to recovwer if I do get it. Got all a this vweek off so, yeah. Just try to sleep it off, ‘kay babe? Forget about me” He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to Kankri’s forehead then disappeared down the hallway and reappeared with a pink trash bin with a plastic bag lining it. Kankri recognised it as the one from their ablution block. Cronus placed it down beside the couch, next to Kankri’s head.

“Just in case.” Cronus told him, giving his shoulder a light squeeze.

Kankri gave him a weak smile in return, a little embarrassed but mostly just grateful for everything Cronus was doing. “Thank you. For everything”

“No vworries. Nowv go to sleep” Cronus told him, mock serious, wagging a finger at him. He waited until Kankri closed his eyes, then went to go find their mop and cleaning container. It was time for some damage control.

***

Kankri awoke with a start sometime later, mostly because of the pressure and discomfort in his stomach and the fact that it was trying to leap out of his throat. He promptly rolled over and vomited in the bin Cronus had provided, coughing and bringing up two or three streams before he was done. He moaned and lay on his side, one arm hugging his belly, the other resting beside his head. He tried to look around the room to fathom how late it was, but the surroundings all swirled vaguely and he felt too dizzy to focus, so he closed his eyes again. This really sucked.

A cool hand landed on his forehead. He leaned into it with a soft sigh.

“Sounds like you’re avwake” A familiar voice said, warm and concerned.

“Cronus” Kankri sighed again. “Sorry you had to witness such a disgusting display” He forced his eyes open and looked up at his matesprit apologetically. “That must have been very triggering for you”

“S’okay. Not like I havwen’t seen it before” he chuckled, sitting on the edge of the couch and holding Kankri’s hand. “You starting to feel any better?”

“No” A wince. “Maybe. I, I do feel a little better after throwing up again” he confessed. The tightness and discomfort in his stomach were all but gone now and he mostly just felt sleepy and heavy.

Cronus pet Kankri’s hair soothingly. “You vwanna sleep some more?”

“Mmn. I’m kind of bored” Kankri yawned and stretched a little. “How long was I asleep?”

Cronus considered his wristwatch for a moment. “Ah…about twvo hours. Hey, you vwant me to put the TV on for you?”

Kankri nodded. “Sure. That would be nice” There probably wasn’t much on at this time of day but at least it would give him something to focus on besides how he was feeling. He was a little frustrated at not being able to do the things he normally would. Kankri Vantas wasn’t one who enjoyed lying around. He’d rather be busy doing something, not letting the day go to waste. 

“Okay” Cronus got off the couch and searched around for the remote, finding it and flicking on the TV. He went back over to Kankri and handed him the remote. He then bent down and took the full plastic bag out of the bin, tying it off carefully. “Just gonna toss this out and then I’ll come keep ya company for a bit” he promised. 

Cronus returned a couple of minutes later, put a new plastic bag in the bin and sat down on the couch beside Kankri.

Kankri pushed himself up into a sitting position, shifting his legs off the couch to make room for Cronus. He waited until they both got comfortable and then cuddled into Cronus’ side, nuzzling him and chirring at him softly. 

Cronus chirred back affectionately and nuzzled the top of Kankri’s head, rubbing soothing circles on one of the candy corn horns that peeked up from fluffy spikes of hair. 

They channel surfed until they found a documentary about their new planet’s wildlife, and settled in to watch that for an hour or so.

As the show’s ending credits floated up the screen, Cronus felt a bit hungry. He looked down at Kankri snuggled against his side. “Hey, uh, you getting hungry at all, Kankri? Think maybe you could keep something dowvn?” he asked gently.

Kankri blinked sleepily up at Cronus, then looked down at his tummy, rubbing a hand over it tentatively. “I don’t know. I am getting a little peckish though…maybe something small” he said uncertainly. 

Cronus nodded. “All right then; howv about some dry toast? Plain crackers? Vwater?”

Kankri cringed at the mention of toast but looked hopeful when he mentioned the other two options “Dry crackers and water sounds good” he said meekly.

“Kay. Be right back” Cronus got up and wandered into the kitchen, rummaging around.

Kankri was starting to wonder what was taking him so long, when Cronus re-entered the living room with a plate bearing a sandwich stacked with different salads and tuna, and a box of crackers and glass of water for Kankri. He handed Kankri the water and crackers, then sat down beside him, taking a bite of sandwich and chewing happily.

Kankri uttered a soft thanks and raised the glass to his lips, taking a few hesitant sips. He waited for a minute to see how it would settle. It seemed to stay down okay. He sipped a bit more of the water and then took a plain cracker from the packet and raised it to his eye level to stare at it warily.

Cronus glanced over with a smirk “It ain’t gonna attack you, ‘Kri” he said from around a mouthful of sandwich, sounding amused.

“I know that! I’m just…being cautious is all. I don’t want to have to be sick more than I can help it” Kankri replied, taking a tentative nibble of cracker with his sharp teeth. It was so dry, slightly salty, crunchy. Oh well, at least it wasn’t making him gag. He continued to nibble on crackers and drink water, a little more confidently than before. He allowed himself to zone out and simply watch TV with Cronus for a while as they both had their belated lunch. Kankri looked down at one point and realised he’d eaten nearly half a box of crackers. He hadn’t realised how hungry he was. He set them aside on the table next to the couch and looked at Cronus, hugging his arm and leaning against it.

Cronus looked down into Kankri’s sparkly red eyes and blinked. “Uh, something vwrong chief?” 

“No. Not really. I think I’m really starting to feel better though” he smiled. “In fact I’m still rather hungry” He fluttered his eyelashes at Cronus as his stomach growled. Not only was he hungry, in fact Kankri was starting to feel a bit ravenous. “That thing you were eating before looked pretty good, the slices of carbohydrate loaf with the different plantfoods and meats in the middle”

“Glad to hear that you’re feeling better” Cronus smiled. “Oh, you mean my sandvwich? I can make you one if you vwant. But take it slowv okay, I don’t vwant ya to get sick again” he petted Kankri’s head affectionately. 

“Mmhm” Kankri agreed, yawning cutely and stretching his arms above his head. He got up to go to the load gaper while Cronus banged around in the kitchen. Kankri noticed his legs were still like jelly as he made the trip to the ablution block and back, but he wasn’t feeling quite so dizzy now and his nausea was practically gone. Weird. Maybe he was getting better already.

Cronus came back into the lounge room a minute later, carrying a plate with the sandwich on it. He handed it to Kankri while a TV commercial blared in the background. “Here ya go, tuna and salad, same as mine”

Kankri lifted the sandwich in both hands and sniffed at it curiously. He took a small bite, chewing appreciatively and then taking a bigger bite. He was suddenly starving. 

“Hey hey, take it easy, go slowv” Cronus warned, chuckling. “Vwe don’t vwant another mess on our hands”

Kankri swallowed a mouthful and looked up at Cronus with a small giggle. “Sorry, it’s just, this is really good! Why is it called a sandwich? The name doesn’t make any sense to me. This simple food seems likely to have nothing to do with sand or witches” he mused, taking another bite. 

Cronus laughed. “I havwe no idea. Humans are vweird. Maybe it’s best not to overthink some things” he shrugged. “I’m sure there’s an explanation for it somevwhere on the internet”

Thunder rumbled loudly around the house just then. Kankri looked out the living room window from where he sat on the couch. The sky was completely overcast, dark grey and heavy with water. “Here comes that rain”. He remarked offhandedly. “I knew it was going to rain today” Which reminded him... He took another bite of sandwich and looked at Cronus. “By the way, did you manage to get that sheet soaked and washed?”

Cronus’ grin dropped off his face “Awv, no. I forgot to hang it out!” he slapped a palm to his forehead “I got it vwashed though. Just let me get it outta the machine and I’ll peg it up to dry”

“Cronus, it is going to rain” Kankri pointed out, a little tetchy. “You can’t hang it out now. Never mind, we’ll string it up inside. I’ll get the rack out of the laundering room closet” He finished his sandwich and got up to wash his plate in the kitchen. Kankri always advocated washing dishes straight after using them, because it saved time and effort and kept the kitchen clean and free of vermin. Cronus had a more laid back attitude and tended to let things pile up without noticing. Kankri washed the other dishes Cronus had left then cleaned up the bench and the cutting board and cleared away some items Cronus had left out. He listened to the thunder and lightning, joined soon by a steady rain that poured down. It was a soothing sound, echoing around the house with a drumming hiss.

He sighed, feeling happy and relaxed now that his health was starting to go back to normal. Kankri started down the hallway towards the laundering room to get the aforementioned drying rack and found Cronus standing in the doorway.

“Kankri, vwait! Don’t come in here” Cronus cautioned, both arms stretched to block the door frame, a troubled look on his face.

Kankri raised an eyebrow and folded his arms to glare at Cronus “Cronus, what…have you done?”

Cronus chuckled nervously, “Nothing. It’s nothing. I’ll grab the drying rack for you, so just go back out there” he waved a hand at Kankri, making shooing motions.

Kankri heard a faint bubbling coming from behind Cronus. He stepped in something wet and looked down at a splash and a slight squish of the hallway carpet underneath his bare foot. Soapy water was running out from the room beyond, smelling strongly of the powdered chemicals they used to do the wash.  
“Move. Now.” Kankri’s voice was quiet but his tone was dangerous. 

Cronus gulped and stepped out of the way, revealing a washing machine that was overflowing with soap suds. The whole floor was flooded with water and bubbles.

Kankri splashed forwards and yanked open the washing machine, pulling out a sopping sheet that leaked water everywhere. It was clean, apart from the fact it was smothered in thick, slimy soap bubbles. He turned around with the sheet held up and asked politely, “Cronus. What is this?” His red eyes flashed.

Cronus was biting his lip nervously. He shivered at the coolness that ran under Kankri’s polite words. “Uhm. I might havwe accidentally knocked ovwer the box of powvder and it spilled inside the drum’” he confessed. “But I fished it back out! Figured it’d be fine, once the rinse cycle finished”

Kankri’s eye twitched. “Does this sheet look fine to you, Cronus? Why did you only put one article into the machine?!” 

Cronus paused and looked confused. Why DID he only put one thing in there? For some reason he never even considered the machine wouldn’t work properly if it didn’t have a proper load in it. “Uhhhhh….” He panicked, trying to find words before his head got bitten off. “Ummmm….”

Kankri was getting a little red in the face. He raised a finger and started shaking it at his matesprit accusingly. “Cronus! If you broke this washing machine, you are going to fix it! And you are going to clean up every spare inch of the laundering room! Do I make myself clear? When I trusted you to do the laundry I was assured that things were in good hands but I can clearly see you know nothing about the operations of common modern appliances. Did you even remember to get the dry washing off the line? Or is it still…” he turned suspiciously to the window beside the washing machine and looked out at the back garden. There was the clothesline full of the week’s washing that was completely getting drenched in the downpour. “Ahhh! The washing!!!” Kankri yelled.

Cronus stepped closer to Kankri, waving his hands in a placating manner. “Kanny, chief…calm dowvn. Okay? It’s not as bad as it looks…”

Kankri’s head whipped round and he pinned Cronus with a stare that practically crackled with energy. “Calm down? CALM DOWN?! Look at the state of the hallway carpet. Do you have any idea how much that’s going to stink like wet woolbeast? And do you realise this means we have no clothes to wear? What are we supposed to do? Go around naked?! Honestly the thought that you could be so…so thick headed, just-!” Kankri stopped, mid rant, swallowing hard. Suddenly all he could smell was the laundry soap, the strong smell of chemicals going straight up his nose. It was thick and artificially floral and Kankri was suddenly choking on air. It was so strong he could practically taste it with every breath.

Cronus watched him warily, wondering why he suddenly stopped yelling. “Kan? Kankri? You okay, babe?”

The sheet flopped to the floor and landed in the soap puddles as Kankri jerked forwards and belched up a stream of reddish vomit that added to the copious amounts of liquids flooding the laundry.

“Awv shit!” Cronus yelled. He hurried to Kankri’s side and yanked him over to the big laundry sink, holding him up while he continued to purge everything in his stomach. Cronus rubbed his back soothingly. “This is vwhy I told you to take it easy” he said gently, holding Kankri’s hair back as he retched and coughed. “You’re still sick”

“I…I can’t breathe!” Kankri spluttered desperately. “The smell…” he was cut off by another retch, which spilled red tinted puke into the sink.

“Smell? Vwhat smell? Puke smell?” Cronus guessed, trying to clarify.

Kankri coughed and wiped pukey drool off his mouth and nose. “Ugh, no…the…the washing soap” he groaned weakly “Too strong”

Cronus looked startled “The vwashing soap is making you sick?” he asked incredulously.

Kankri’s reply was a stream of vomit splashing the bottom of the metal laundry sink. 

Cronus frowned. Okay, that was weird. Why would the smell of the laundry powder be making him sick? Was he allergic to it or something? But it was the same brand they always used. He waited until Kankri stopped heaving, then scooped him up and carried him back out to the lounge room, sitting on the couch with him and grabbing the trash bin.

Kankri grabbed the little pink bin and hung onto it, resting his chin on the edge miserably. He gagged and retched a few times, but nothing was coming up, as there was nothing left inside him. He could still smell laundry soap, like the scent had been shoved forcefully up his nose and gotten stuck there, triggering his gag reflex.

“Shhh, shhhh” Cronus soothed, rubbing his back in gentle patterns, “It’s okay” He kissed Kankri’s temple, holding him close. “Just try to relax, that’s it. Breathe” This was the strangest sickness Cronus had ever heard of. Sure, he could understand being nauseated by unpleasant smells, but this was the same laundry soap Kankri always used, that they’d been using for months. And it hardly smelled awful. It didn’t make sense for him to suddenly develop a reaction to it.

“So, vwas this vwhy you got sick this morning out by the clothesline? It vwas the scent of the soap?” he asked gently, prodding his sick matesprit for answers. He wanted to know if he was going to have to dial emergency clinic or not.

Kankri leaned back against Cronus, shivering. Once again, the world was spinning around him. Red tinted tears began streaming down his face. “I don’t, I don’t know” he sniffled. “I think so”

“Kay. Then vwe’re swvithcing our brand of vwashing powvder” Cronus said firmly. “It’s supposed to make things cleaner, not messier” He stroked Kankri’s hair away from his forehead, checking again for a fever. He felt warmer than Cronus, as usual, but nothing out of the ordinary. This sickness was a complete mystery. “I’m calling the doctor”

“No!” Kankri immediately panicked, his eyes going wide and fearful. He clutched at Cronus’ t-shirt, claws pricking through the fabric. “No. Please. I’m fine. I-I’ll be fine, as soon as my stomach settles” Kankri begged.

“Kan” Cronus warned, giving him his best no nonsense stare. “Vwe’re not gonna argue about this” 

“I said no, Cronus! I hate that place. I-I can’t” he was shaking more than before, just the thought of visiting the medical facility sending shivers down his spine and his anxiety levels climbing. “I can’t. Please…” He let out a small sob. “Please”

Cronus sighed, breaking under the teary, pleading gaze of his scared lover. “Ahh…fine. But if it gets vworse or you’re not better in a fewv days, I’m calling them. Regardless of vwhat you say”

Kankri closed his eyes and leaned into Cronus’ shirt, his red tears leaving marks on the fabric. “Anything but that”

Cronus wiped Kankri’s tears with the hem of his shirt. “Sorry, cherry. It’s called tough lovwe”


End file.
